Sports shaft with end stop

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a lacrosse shaft. The lacrosse shaft has an integral or interlocked end stop to inhibit stoppage.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to sticks and shafts having a butt endand, more particularly, a butt end terminating in an end stop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a conventional sports stick 100 is shown,which is represented as a hockey stick, but could be, for example, alacrosse stick as well. Conventionally, stick 100 comprises anelongated, hollow shaft 110 or handle. Shaft 110 has a playing end 112and a butt end 114 opposite playing end 112. Playing end 112 may have ablade 116 attached, as shown for a hockey stick, a lacrosse headattached, for the lacrosse stick, or the like.

As best shown by the exploded view of FIG. 1B, attached to butt end 114typically is a cap 118 as shown. Cap 118 is designed with a volumetricspace V to frictionally engage the butt end 114 of shaft 110. Cap 118 isfrequently designed with a protrusion 120. Cap 118, frictionally engagedwith butt end 114, and protrusion 120 combine to inhibit a player's handfrom slipping off the butt end of shaft 110.

FIG. 1C shows a plug 122 that may be used as an alternative to cap 118.Plug 122 may be inserted into a hollow space H at the end of hollowshaft 110. Plug 122 would be designed to frictionally engage shaft 110.Plug 122 has a male portion 124 and may have a protrusion 126 thatexpands beyond the outer walls 128 of shaft 110. Male portion 124 may besolid or hollow as a matter of design choice. Plug 122 frictionallyengaged in hollow space H and protrusion 124 combine to inhibit aplayer's hand from slipping off the butt end of shaft 110 also.Conventional end caps or plugs have numerous shapes other than thesimple design shown for convenience.

Neither cap 118 nor plug 122, however, are particularly satisfyingsolutions to preventing a player's hand from slipping off the butt endof shaft 110. Often cap 118 or plug 122 separates from shaft 110 becausethe force associated with the player's hand overcomes the frictionalengagement.

Thus, it would be desirous to develop and improved butt end of a sportsshaft to further inhibit a player's hand from slipping during play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved sports shaft.

The improved shaft has a butt end with a protrusion. The protrusion isintegral with or interlocking with the butt end to inhibit a player'shand from slipping. Also, because the protrusion is integral and/orinterlocked with the butt end, the end stop is inhibited from detaching.

The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of theinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of the presentinvention and are a part of the specification. The illustratedembodiments are merely examples and illustrations of the presentinvention and do not limit the scope of the invention.

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrates a conventional hockey stick;

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate sport shafts consistent with an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate other sport shafts consistent with an embodimentof the present invention; and

FIG. 4 shows one possible alternative construction of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described with reference to theFigures. While the present invention is being described with particularreference to a lacrosse specific shaft, one of ordinary skill in the artwill recognize on reading the disclosure that the present inventionwould be applicable for other sport shafts where a player's hand has thepotential of slipping off the butt end of a shaft. Examples of othersuch shafts include, but should not be limited to, hockey sticks,racketball rackets, and the like.

With reference now to FIG. 2A, a lacrosse specific sports shaft 200consistent with the present invention is shown. Shaft 200 comprises anelongated body 202 having a head end 204 and a butt end 206. Shaft 200could be made of carbon, graphite, carbon fibers, composites, or othermoldable composites, and the like. Using these materials, butt end 206can be molded such that butt end 206 has a protrusion 208.Alternatively, (as shown in FIG. 2B) butt end 206 can have outwardlyexpanding walls 210, such that butt end 206 has a flared shape 212.Outwardly expanding walls 210 can be straight as shown, curved, orbeveled. Further, edges 214 may be sharp edges or corners or beveled aswell.

One method of manufacturing the shaft 200 comprises use of graphite orother materials. According to this one embodiment, a graphite sheet iswrapped around an internal member such as a dowel. The number of timesthe graphite sheets is wrapped around the dowel determines the strengthof the shaft. Therefore, stronger shafts may be wrapped multiple times.When the desired number of graphite layers has been achieved, the dowelis removed, leaving the graphite in a tubular arrangement. The tubulargraphite is then inserted into a mold, where it is heated and formedinto the mold shape. The mold, in this case, would have the desiredshape of butt end 206 such that, when heated, the tubular graphite formsinto the desired shape.

The tubular graphite in this methodology is preferably hollow, butaccording to some embodiments it may also be solid. The graphite issubsequently cooled, and the graphite hardens into the shaft 200.

While molding butt end 206 to a particular shape is a possible solutionto the problems associated with the prior art, players may enjoy thefeel of a different material of an end stop from the shaft proper. FIG.3A is a cross-sectional view of a shaft 300 that provides an alternativesolution to inhibit the end stop from disengaging from the shaft 300.FIG. 3B shows an end view of shaft 300. FIG. 3B shows shaft 300 in agenerally circular shape, but shaft 300 could be any geometric shape asa matter of design and player preference.

Referring first to FIG. 3A, shaft 300 includes an elongated body 302having a head end 304 and a butt end 306. Shaft 300 has across-sectional shape S defined by a sidewall 308. Cross-sectional shapeS is shown as a circle for convenience, but could be numerous geometriesconfigured for performance and player preference. Butt end 306terminates in an inwardly extending lip 310. Lip 310 defines an opening312. Opening 312 occupies a surface area A and, in the case of acircular shaft, a diameter d1. Lip 310 has a thickness t1 and a widthw1.

FIG. 3A also shows an end stop 320. End stop 320 may be made of rubberor other composites as a matter of design choice. End stop 302 has ananchor portion 322, a stem 324, and a stopper portion 326. Anchorportion 322 generally has a shape that complements shaft 300. In thecase of circular shaft 300, anchor portion 322 has a diameter d3. Stem324 has a diameter of d2. Stopper portion 326 has a diameter d4.Diameter d3 is generally greater than diameter d2 such that anchorportion 322 has a shoulder 328 extending radially outward from stem 324.Further, diameter d3 is larger than diameter d1 so shoulder 328 abutslip 310. Diameter d3 should be greater than d1 but no more than d1 plus2 times w1. While diameter d3 may be oversized, in this case anchorportion 322 may buckle or cause shaft 300 to bow.

Stem 324 connects anchor portion 322 and stopper portion 326. Stem 324has a thickness or length t2. Length t2 should be equal to or greaterthan t1 such that should 328 and stopper portion 326 fit snuggly aroundlip 310. Stem 324 has a diameter d2 that should be equal to or less thand1 such that stem 324 can fit in opening 312.

Stopper portion 326 has a diameter d4. Diameter d4 should be greaterthan an outer diameter d5 of butt end 306. Diameter d4 being larger thandiameter d5 causes a protrusion 330 of stopper portion 326 to extendbeyond shaft sidewall 308. Protrusion 330 inhibits a player's hand fromslipping off of shaft 300. Further, the abutment of lip 310 and shoulder328 inhibits end stop 320 from disengaging with shaft 300.

Optionally, and shown in phantom, shaft 300 may have an internal base332. A volumetric space 334 is defined by base 332, sidewalls 308 andlip 310. Volumetric space would have a depth of t3 or greater, t3 beingthe thickness of anchor portion 322. Using base 332 would provide achamber or clamp like mold to grip anchor portion 322 and shoulder 328.

FIG. 3C shows a cross-sectional view of butt end 306 with end stop 320inserted. In this case, optional base 332 is also shown and stopperportion 326 has flared and curved walls 336. Further, an edge 338 isbeveled, although it could be provided as a sharp corner. Stopperportion 326 could have any design and shape, including the flared orconical shape associated with FIG. 2B.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative configuration for lip 310 and shoulder 328.In this case lip 310 has a first end extension 402. First end extension402 extends from lip 310 towards shoulder 328. Shoulder 328 has a secondend extension 404. Second end extension 404 extends from shoulder 328towards lip 310. First end extension 402 comprises a first protrusion406 and second end extension 404 comprises a second protrusion 408.Protrusions 406 and 408 form a snap lock or friction fitting between lip310 and shoulder 328 that may facilitate the molding process.Protrusions 406 and 408 are exemplary, and other interlocking devicescould be used, such as, for example, a protrusion and dimple, a lip andbarb, or the like.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilledin the art that various other changes in the form and details may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A lacrosse shaft having an integrated end stop, the shaft comprising:an elongated body having sidewalls defining a shape of the shaft; theelongated body having a head end and a butt end; and a protrusionlocated on and integral to the butt end, wherein the protrusionextending outward from the sidewalls such that the protrusion inhibits aplayer's hand from slipping from shaft.
 2. The lacrosse shaft accordingto claim 1, wherein the protrusion has outwardly expanding walls.
 3. Thelacrosse shaft according to claim 2, wherein the outwardly expandingwalls are substantially straight.
 4. The lacrosse shaft according toclaim 2, wherein the outwardly expanding walls are substantially curved.5. The lacrosse shaft according to claim 1, further comprising bevelededges.
 6. The lacrosse shaft according to claim 2, wherein the outwardlyexpanding walls have a flared shape.
 7. The lacrosse shaft according toclaim 2, wherein the outwardly expanding walls have a conical shape. 8.A sport shaft, comprising: an elongated body having a shaft defined by asidewall; the elongated body being made from a composite, moldablematerial a butt end at one end of the elongated body; and an outwardlyextending protrusion integral to the butt end, wherein the outwardlyextending protrusion extends beyond the sidewall and provides a barrierto inhibit a player's hand from slipping from the sport shaft.
 9. Thesport shaft of claim 8, wherein the shaft is designed for use in a sportselected from the group of sports consisting of lacrosse, hockey,tennis, racketball, and golf.
 10. The sport shaft of claim 8, whereinthe composite, moldable material is carbon fiber.
 11. The sport shaft ofclaim 8, wherein the composite, moldable material is graphite.
 12. Thesport shaft of claim 8, wherein the composite, moldable material iscarbon based.
 13. The sport shaft of claim 8, wherein the outwardlyextending protrusion comprises a disc shape.
 14. The sport shaft ofclaim 8, wherein the outwardly extending protrusion comprises a flaredshape.
 15. The sport shaft of claim 8, wherein the outwardly extendingprotrusion has walls.
 16. The sport shaft of claim 15, wherein the wallsare at least one of straight or curved.
 17. A lacrosse shaft,comprising: an elongated shaft having a head end and a butt end; thebutt end having an inner diameter and an outer diameter; a lip extendinginwardly from the butt end and defining an opening, the lip having aninternal surface and an external surface; an end stop having an anchorportion, a stem, and a stopper portion, the anchor portion is connectedto the stopper portion by the stem; the stem extending through theopening defined by the lip; the anchor having a shoulder, the shouldbeing substantially aligned with the internal surface; and the stopperportion having a protrusion extending beyond the outer diameter of thebutt end.
 18. The lacrosse shaft of claim 17, wherein the protrusioncomprises sidewalls extending outwardly from the elongated shaft. 19.The lacrosse shaft of claim 18, wherein the sidewalls are straight. 20.The lacrosse shaft of claim 18, wherein the sidewalls are curved. 21.The lacrosse shaft of claim 17, wherein the elongated shaft comprises atleast a first material and the end stop comprises at least a secondmaterial where the first material and the second material are different.22. The lacrosse shaft of claim 21, wherein the first material comprisesgraphite and the second material comprises rubber.
 23. The lacrosseshaft of claim 22, wherein the rubber is vulcanized rubber.
 24. Thelacrosse shaft of claim 17, wherein the lip has a first end extensionand the shoulder has a second end extension such that the first endextension and the second end extension engage forming a snap lock. 25.The lacrosse shaft of claim 24, wherein the first end extensionterminates in a first end protrusion and the second end extension endsin a second end protrusion that overlap.